Scientists delve into the concept of ‘gay voice’ and identify distinct vocal features in gay men, such as higher pitch variation compared to straight men. Researchers analyse speech patterns and cross-linguistic findings to understand this phenomenon.
Scientists have investigated the concept of “gay voice” and identified distinctive vocal characteristics within the gay male population that differ from those of straight men. Life partners Greg Brown and Mitch Moffit from asapSCIENCE have detailed these findings. Researchers focus on factors such as pitch variation, which refers to how much a person’s pitch changes while speaking, duration values for vowels and consonants, and how long individuals hold certain sounds, like ‘S.’
Studies indicate that gay men exhibit higher pitch variation compared to straight men. These findings were consistent across several languages, including English, Dutch, and French, suggesting that “gay voice” is a phenomenon that transcends linguistic boundaries. Research methodologies often include analyzing speech patterns as well as having random listeners attempt to identify the speaker’s sexual orientation based on their voice.
Additionally, Brown and Moffit explored the topic of “gay face,” another area of interest within this realm of research.
